Signs create issues in Lee County

by Matt Prichard

TSPLOST signs cause controversy in Lee County / Matt Prichard

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:04:35 GMT —

With local elections just 2 weeks away, the amount of campaign signs lining the southwest Georgia highways has nearly doubled. However several signs promoting the TSPLOST initiative have raised the concerns of county commissioner candidate Tim Nelson, who says these signs are breaking code regulations.

"First of all, they're against the sign ordinance that was passed in my protest, and also, that if it didn't suit the county, there would be a different approach to taking the signs down, and I don't believe that approach is being taken," said candidate for Lee County Commissioner, Tim Nelson.

With that in mind, nelson contacted code enforcement officer Jim Wright via email demanding the signs be taken down. Although Wright wasn't available for comment today, his email responded to nelson saying: "there appears to be no violation taking place," and that "county code enforcement officers do not have the authority to confiscate any signs on private property".

Nelson stands by his argument though, saying Lee County isn't removing the signs because the TSPLOST program is beneficial for them.

"I just feel there should be fair application of every law there is, and the county's failing to do that in this case. Because it suits them, and if the tax passes it's going to be a benefit to Lee County, everyone knows that, probably be a detriment to Dougherty County, that's why you only see the signs in Lee County," said Nelson.

Wright continued in his email that "temporary signs, according to the sign ordinance, must be in place only 14-days prior to the event. In this case, that event is the election, which takes place two weeks from today." with that in mind, there is a good chance that these signs will still be standing through the election.